Rising Stars: Meet Jacinda French

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacinda French.

Jacinda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been a creative type. Art in every form has always spoken to me clearer than any human being ever could. Music was my first passion, and I’ve been singing since I was an infant. I spent 5th-12th grade in the choir.

Performing was one of my favorite things, and still is despite the fact that I haven’t done it in years. Something about the intense connection between people that art and creativity bring out has just never gotten old for me, and I think that’s why I love doing hair.

I was born and raised right outside of Memphis in Desoto County, MS. My parents were never married, so I split my time between Horn Lake and Olive Branch. I primarily went to Lake Cormorant Schools throughout those years, but I definitely moved around a few times as a kid. Growing up wasn’t easy, as it never is for anyone, but I wouldn’t call my upbringing the most pleasant either. Despite all its shortcomings though, I still managed to get through my childhood/adolescence with a relatively good head on my shoulders.

I graduated high school in May 2019, expecting to go to college for psychology in the fall. After going to orientation, meeting my roommate, getting my student ID, etc, I found out that college wasn’t financially possible for me, so I decided against it. Originally the plan was to take a gap year, which I did. That lasted all of maybe a month before I couldn’t take it anymore and started looking for and thinking of other options. That’s when I thought about cosmetology school. It had always been at the back of my mind, but as the oldest child I always grew up being told that I had to go to college, so I thought it wouldn’t be worth it.

Clearly, I was wrong. I looked up schools in my area and found Paul Mitchell, which is where I ended up attending and decided to go for it. I fell in love with the program within the first few weeks of being there, and I put my all into it. It took a bit longer to graduate, but I got there. On July 24th, 2021, I finally made it. I clocked my last hour at 2:30 that day, and I hit the ground running ever since.

I’ve got one more test to take before I’m licensed, and I have a chair waiting on me at a men’s salon in Germantown once I get there. If younger me could see how far I’ve come, she’d be in tears, and that knowledge drives me forward even when I feel like I’ve failed.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I battle with a few different obstacles in my day-to-day, the first one being mental illness. I have depression, anxiety, and ADHD, and as a result of that, it has been ridiculously hard to find my footing not only as an adult but as a human being in general. Constantly fighting your own brain when it decides to play as your worst enemy is exhausting, and I wish it on no one. Some days, I function just fine, while others leave me feeling as though I have blocks of lead strapped to my feet.

In fact, typing out this response to this interview has taken me waaaaaaaaay longer than I’d like to admit simply because I work a full-time job, and once I get home I’m so tired that I basically zone out. It’s sometimes impossible to get anything done, even the most menial of tasks becomes anything but that. However, I’ve pushed through anyway.

Despite my “rough around the edges” exterior and massive case of RBF that can sometimes give off the wrong impression, all I’ve ever wanted is stability. Day by day, I see myself getting closer and closer to that, and I couldn’t be more proud of how far I’ve come or where I’m going,

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in short/men’s cuts and color services. It’s where I feel like my creativity shines through the best, and it makes me unbelievably happy that I get to make people smile while doing what I love.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters to me is knowing that I’ve given everything my all, and worked tirelessly to make sure that I do my best in everything I do. My integrity is something I hold very dear, and I feel like that translates into every aspect of my life.

I want my clients to feel as though they are in the best hands when they sit in my chair. I want to see them smiling when they get up, and joy light up their eyes when they finally realize that it’s themselves they’re looking at in the mirror.

Contact Info:

• Email: cynvidak.hair@gmail.com
• Website: https://site.booxi.com/legacymensgrooming
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/cynvidak?utm_medium=copy_link

Image Credits
Jacinda French